Poinsetta

[PepperGrl]

My SPCA bunny is now in my classroom... doing much better after his problems... but there is a new one. I was letting him run around my classroom yesterday while I was grading papers and I heard a crunching noise right by me. I look down and Cosmo was munching on a leaf from the poinsetta that was sitting in my windowsill. The leaf was shrivled and dried up, pretty sure it was dead because it fell off the pointsetta. I forgot all about that plant and it's been there since before Christmas. I know they are poisionous so my first reaction was to grab the bunny and try to take any of it that he had in his mouth out. I didn't see anything in there and I don't know if he swallowed any or not. Does anyone know if I should be concerned considering the plant was pretty much dead? My worry is that now, a day later, he doesn't look like he's feeling too well. Should I be over cautious and take him to the vet anyway? I really don't have time if it's not necessary but I will if anyone feels it is. Any advice would be appreciated... thanks. I threw the plant away by the way

 

[CuddlesMom]

id call the vet and ask them

 

[TinysMom]

Do you have a rabbit-savvy vet nearby? If so - I'd give them a call and ask them what to do. I wish I could help you but I've never experienced something like this. However, I've found that my vet is usually pretty willing to answer questions over the phone.

Be sure to tell them not only what he was chewing on - but how he is acting now and what is different about your rabbit's behavior - AND probably its weight and age.

Good luck! I hope someone can help you here more than I can....but if it were me - I would at least call the vet to get some advice.

Peg

 

[PepperGrl]

Thanks, I will try that, hopefully he is in today

 

[HoneyPot]

[align=left]Poinsettia Plants Are Poisonous And Should Be Kept Away from Children and Pets-Fiction!

Summary of eRumor:
It's common around Christmas time for people to warn one another about the alleged toxicity of poinsettias.

The Truth:
This is one of those beliefs that is so widespread that a survey of florists found that most of them believed it to be true. That's because it has been the conventional understanding about poinsettias for many years.

The consensus of government agencies, health centers, veterinary groups, and plant and flower organizations that we've surveyed, however, is that poinsettias are not toxic and do not pose a health threat to children or pets.

The belief in poinsettia poison appears to extend back to 1919 when the two-year-old child of a U.S. Army officer died. It was believed that the death was caused by the child ingesting poinsettia leaves. The American Society of Florists has looked into the matter extensively and says there was never any proof that poinsettia leaves were responsible for the child's death and the report was later determined to be hearsay.

The America Society of Florists joined with researchers at Ohio State University to test various parts of the poinsettia plant on rats. Their conclusion was that there was no toxicity or any other side effects even when the rats were given large doses.

POISENDEX is the source of poison information for the majority of poison control centers. It says that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than a pound-and-a-quarter of poinsettia leaves to exceed the doses used in the Ohio State research, which would be 500 to 600 leaves.

The American Society of Florists says no other consumer plant has been tested for toxicity more than the poinsettia.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Center in Urbana, Illinois says it regards poinsettias as having such low toxicity risk that it doesn't even recommend decontaminating animals that may have ingested them. The center says that there can sometimes be gastrointestinal distress from having ingested something alien to the digestive system.

The American Veterinary Medicine Association of America (AVMA), doesn't include poinsettias on its list of plants that are a threat to animals.

Because of the belief that poinsettias are toxic, there are numerous visits to hospitals each year by concerned parents or pet owners whose children or pet have ingested or in some other way been exposed to poinsettias.

A study released in 2000 by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University found that out of nearly 23,000 poinsettia exposures reported to poison control centers nationwide, there was essentially no toxicity of significance of any kind.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/poinsettias.htm




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[TinysMom]

WOW Honeypot! Thanks for doing the research and sharing that with us...I haven't checked out the link yet but I'm assuming that article is what it will take me to...

Peg

 

[PepperGrl]

WOW squared.... that makes me feel a lot better. The vet said the same sort of thing, that pointsettias have a low toxicity rating as far as they know. He seems to be doing better now anyway... maybe he was just being grumpy... you know how those bunny attitudes can get.

Thanks for all your help

 

[HoneyPot]

Glad to help PepperGrl!

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Nadia